The Second Quarter Quell
by PeetaKat-nissGale
Summary: Ever wonder what if Katniss, Prim, Peeta, and Gale were picked for the Second Quarter Quell? Who would survive? Who would give up their life for a loved one? Read and find out!   No, I do not own the Hunger Games, it belongs to Suzanne Collins!
1. Reaping Part 1

The Reaping (Katniss's POV)

_'On the second Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be chosen, to remind the rebels that for every capitol citizen killed, two rebels died.' _These are the words that continued to run through my mind as I got my sister, Prim, and I ready for this dreadful day, the reapings. My mother, far too depressed to help us dress for such an event, stood outside the door looking sadly at us. Prim, who was usually bursting with happiness, couldn't look any of us in the eyes. As I finished helping her do her hair, I was hit with a horrendous thought; _we can both go in this year…_

My hands stopped moving and it felt like I couldn't breathe, I knew I needed to get that thought out of my head, because if I didn't there was no telling what I would do. Though my moment of hesitation was just that…a moment, Prim had felt my stiff posture and turned to look at me. I swallowed and forced my lips to pull up in a half-smile, "There," I squeaked, "you look great!" I realized, after a second of silence, that the words held nothing that could make her uneasiness disappear.

She looked at me for a second, and then said in a quiet voice, "But I don't want to look great for this." I sighed, "I know but, you do what you must to please the people of authority." She nodded solemnly. I couldn't stand to see her face so downcast so I suggested that we go over to the Hawthorn's house and see if they were ready so we could walk up to the square together. She perked up at the idea, though not as much as I would have liked.

We made the short walk to the Hawthorne's and as we did I thought of my best friend, Gale Hawthorne. We had met on Prim's first day of school, when I was waiting for her, he doing the same only for his brother, Rory. I was 9, Gale 13. We stood next to each other as we waited never saying a word. We were too different for one another and we both knew it. We noticed, however; when Prim and Rory walked out together, laughing and smiling. We knew that would would have to suck it up and, at least, act civil toward each other. It turned out to be much more than that and I could not thank Prim and Rory enough for helping our friendship along it's way.

I smile as remember and am pulled out of my daydream by two little kids running at me in a full sprint. I laugh and reach forward to grab them when they finally make it over to me. It's Gale's other two siblings, Vick and Posy. Since both are too young for the reapings, which are only for 12-18 year olds, they are one less thing to worry about when it comes time to draw the names. I am delighted by this reminder and hug them even closer, but then I see 18 year old Gale and all the happiness I felt just moments ago, vanishes. We study each other, thinking about the slips we have that could be drawn today. I let go of Vick and Posy and rush forward into Gale's waiting arms.

"Hey, there," he says with a chuckle, "We should get going." I sigh, "yeah, come on Prim, don't want to be late." And with that, we start to make our way to the square. We get there just in time, the mayor, Mr. Undersee, has just walked up to the microphone and begins the speech we hear every year, about the Dark Days and the consequences. Once he is finished, he introduces Effie Trinket, our capitol escort. She begins with the ever so cheerful saying of, 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!' She skips to the girl's reaping bowl, and instead of just one grabbing on slip, she grabs two. I hold my breath and pray that neither one of them contains Prim's name. As Effie reads the names, I realize the praying is just other useless thing against the capital, because the first name called is Primrose Everdeen and the second one is...Katniss Everdeen.

**A/N: First story! Share your thoughts, continue or no good? Criticism welcome! Thanks for reading! **


	2. Reaping Part 2

The Reaping (Peeta's POV)

The day started just like it always did, Mom and Dad fighting? Check. Brothers bickering? Check. Paralyzing fear? Check…wait, no that's not normal, then I remember why this fear is taking place, the reaping is today. It takes a minute to be able to move again, it's called paralyzing fear for a reason. I shake it off and remind myself that my brothers, who are 19 and 21, never got picked so chances are I won't either. After I get dressed, I head downstairs where everything seems to get quiet when I appear.

Mom and Dad, after spotting me, stop fighting over where ever it was they were angry about. My brothers, though, are in the process of stuffing their faces with breakfast, which consists of fresh bread. I look from it to my parents curiously, my eyebrows raised. "We thought you would like some fresh bread today to, you know, calm your nerves," says Dad, when he sees my look. I think about it for a moment before answering, "Oh, well thanks, I guess." He nods, "Go on then, eat up!" I sit down at the table and take a few slices. It's the good kind too, the one with the nuts.

I am just finishing my bread when I look at the clock and realize that we should be heading to the square. I turn to tell everyone else and notice that they are already ready and are waiting for me. I hurry and grab my shoes and then we are off. I sign in at the entrance and head to the 16 year old section. Being the baker's son, I spend most of my time working so I'm not close friends with anyone. I just stand there, silently, until the mayor takes the stage with the speech that I've never really paid any attention to. After he's done with the speech, which takes an hour at least, he introduces Effie Trinket. Effie is a bubbly, capitol person who comes to district 12 every Hunger Games content with sending innocent kids to their unavoidable death.

She starts like she does every year, with a cheerful, 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ ever_ in your favor!' She then dances, there's no other way to describe the way she walks, over to the girls' tribute bowl and pulls out the two unlucky names. Primrose and Katniss Everdeen. I sigh quietly, _sisters, what a tragedy!_ I don't know the names very well, so I am surprised to see the face of one of my classmates. Her sister is crying softly but Katniss stands tall and you can see that she won't be giving up.

After some disapproving silence instead of applause, Effie walks to the boys' tribute bowl, she must of lost some of her spunk after the display. I can see the frown that wants to take over her face, but if I can say one thing for Effie, it's that she is an amazing actress. She somehow keeps her smile as she digs through the bowl and comes up with two names. I hold my breath as she reads them, Peeta Mellark and Rory Hawthorne. Shock takes over my brain and I just stand there for a second, then I hear Prim's crying getting louder as a twelve year old boy comes to joins them. I'm just heading up when suddenly a boy from the eighteen's comes running out in front of me. He volunteered, I must have missed it. I finally stop on stage and Effie asks the eighteen year old his name. It comes out shaky but he says it loud enough, "Gale Hawthorne."


	3. Goodbyes

(Katniss's POV)

After Effie called the boys and Gale volunteered I shut down completely. No emotion, no memory of being moved to the Justice Building where I now sit. Prim crawls into my lap and we sit in silence until Gale joins us and our families come rushing in. We spend the first half of our allotted time crying our eyes out and clinging to each other. The rest is spent on goodbyes because it is clear in my mother's eyes that she expects to lose both of her children in a matter of weeks. I want to yell at her, tell her to not give up yet because if she gives up, what do we have to fight for?

The truth is though, I've already accepted my death in all it's unavoidably. I have accepted it because for Prim to win, everyone else has to die. I don't think on it too much though because it brings up the fact that everybody...everybody...includes Gale and Peeta and the rest of the innocent children that are reaped from the other districts. It is depressing and not doing anything positive for my attitude. But looking into my mother's eyes, I can forget about all the lives it will take and I promise myself that Prim will come home, no matter what the price.

(Peeta's POV)

As I sat in the Justice Building, I realized something. The other three that were chosen are friends and family. I knew right then that if I was to be in an alliance with them, I would be the least cared for of the group. I mean, how could anything I do compete with years of friendship and family bonds? I pushed the thought out of my mind just as my parents walked in. There is no crying, no hugs. We are not an emotional family. _But if anything could of changed that, _I thought, _this would be it. _I find out a moment later that it did change as Mom's fear and despair broke through her usually, well-kept mask. Before I could say anything, however; she rushes out of the room.

"So I think it's safe to say the odds were defiantly _not _in my favor this year." I say, trying to keep my voice steady. Dad lets out a strangled sound that I think is supposed to be a laugh, "I guess not, son, but don't give up hope!" I explode then, "What is good is hope when the odds are stacked up against you?" He just shakes his head and, with tears in his eyes, walks out the door leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I realize what Dad meant just as I'm boarding the train...Hope may not keep you alive but it can give you the will to fight.

**A/N: Sorry for all the short chapters! Anyway, R&R, please! **


	4. Train Ride and The Plan

**Hey Readers! I'm looking for a beta and Game makers! Anyone interested please PM me! And on with the story!**

Train Ride (Katniss's POV)

After we were escorted to the train where we would journey to the capital, Effie led us to our rooms. Prim and I were, surprisingly, to share a room, as were Gale and Peeta. Neither looked happy about it, but they didn't complain either. A few minutes later, Effie left us with a cheerful, "be ready for dinner in an hour, if you're not there you miss out!" and a smile. As soon as she left, I was comforting Prim who looked like she could fall apart at any second. Prim proceeded to cry herself out and fall asleep. Once I was sure she was comfortable, I headed to the boys' room with a plan that I hoped they wouldn't be mad about...

I knock on the boys' door and almost immediately hear a scuffle to get to the door. _I wonder what's going on in there._ Eventually the door opens and I see Gale smiling at my expression. I look at him for a second, then decide that I don't even want to know what it was about. "Can I talk to the both of you?" I ask, quickly. I see his eyes dim a little bit as he guesses what this is about. "Sure, just let me get Peeta," he says. He closes the door and i burst out laughing when all I hear is Gale yelling, "PEETA! Get out here!" I bang on the door and shout back at him, "I could have done that too, you know!" The door swings open and Gale looks at me with a serious face and responds, "Yeah, but I do it better." I put on the most sober face I can at the moment and just nod like it makes total sense. Gale starts laughing and Peeta walks in staring at us like we're crazy. "What'd you want, Gale?" he says gruffly like he had been crying and was trying not to show it. "Katniss, here, had something she wanted to ask us, be fair warning you're not going to like it too well..."

Gale starts, dead serious, a complete 180 from just seconds ago. As he continues, I can tell that he's been thinking about it a lot too. He tells Peeta about Prim and how we really want her to come out alive, how we were hoping he would help us and that we know it's a lot to ask to give up your life for an almost complete stranger. He goes on to say that even if Peeta didn't want to help us, we wouldn't purposely kill him, because we couldn't promise not to kill him not if it was his life or Prim's. I stop him there and say quietly to Peeta that I know it's not an easy decision and he shouldn't give us an answer right now, just think on it and try to tell us before the actual Games begin.

(Peeta's POV)

I guess I was right about how I would be the least cared about in an alliance with these three. At least now I know that they were protecting someone instead of just killing for themselves. I don't know if it makes any difference to anyone else but it's a relief to know that these people in my district would willing to give up there life's for a younger sibling or friend. It shows compassion and heart . As I think more about that, I come to the conclusion that I want to be apart of that. To die for a reason, not just because I was too weak at that moment of time. To die for a little girl who should have her whole life in front of her, but had it cut short because of a slip of paper pulled out of a glass bowl, by some preppy airhead that knows nothing about how she lives.

With that thought weighing heavy on my mind for the rest of the evening, I don't notice much other than we don't have a mentor for the Games because our district has never had a victor. _No wonder we haven't, we're district 12 no need to send more than one Capitol person to look after the fresh meat, killed for their entertainment. _I do notice little Prim, however; how innocent she is and how much she adores her sister. I wonder how Prim would react if she knew that her sister was planning on dying for her. And enlisting all of us to help. Would she be glad that Katniss cares so much about her, or would she resent the plan and tell Katniss to keep herself alive instead? Questions, questions, questions...that's all I have, questions and no answers.

**A/N: So...thoughts? And quick question! Do we want Katniss & Peeta or Katniss & Gale? R&R! **

**PeetaKat-nissGale **


	5. Authors Note

Inspiration comes…and inspiration goes. In retrospect, I probably should have done a small story first so that I could get the hang of it. I'm sorry for the delay but I have not been inspired..until now I will try to get the next chapter up soon!

~PeetaKat-nissGale


End file.
